Liquid-controlling means for dental engines



octn 13,

F. J. HOFSCHNEIDER LIQUID CONTROLLING MEANS FOR DENTAL ENGINES Filed Dec. 9, 1924' l 2 Sheets-$heet l INVENoR.

I gam ZJSATTORNEY I Oct. 13, 1925. 1,557,164

F. J. Hor-'SCHNEIDER LIQUID CONTROLLING MEANS FOR DENTAL ENGINES FledDec. 9. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MEM /LS ATTORNEY Patented oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES FREDERIC JI'HOFSGHNEIDER, OF ROCHESTER, N .ENVl YORK.

LIQUID-CONTROLLING MEANS FOR DENTAL ENGINES.

Application led December 9, 1924. Serial No. 754,751.

To LZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREDERIC J. HoF- SCHNEIDER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Rochester. in the county of Monroe and` State of New York, have invented certain new anduseiul Improvements in Liquid-Controlling Means for Dental Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to liquid. controlling means for dental engines, and has 'for its purpose to afford a mechanism of few parts and which will operate dependably and etiiciently to govern a. supply of water or other liquid to the hand piece, where it is desirable to moisten the tool continuously and automatically during operation ot the engine.

The present structure eliminates all electrical devices in the control ot' the liquid supply, and affords a structure that is entirely mechanical, as distinguished from electrical, in the operation of the liquid governing valve, thusproviding a mechanism that is extremely economical to produce and which can be readily applied to various standard types of dental engines.

Another purpose of the invention is to aiiord mechanism that insures positive opening of the liquid supply during operation of the engine and closing such supplyat other times, making an automatic control entirely independent of the motor and electric circuit which controls the engine.

An additional object or" the invention is tosupply liquid to thetool from a gravity tank and govern the flow of water Yfrom the tank by a valve that is opened through the instrumentality of mechanical vdevices eX tending from the valve to the foot switch of the motor for the engine, where it is engagedand moved by the foot switch.

lvith these ends 'in view, my invention will be understood more clearly from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the novel features of whichare pointed out at the end ot' the specification.

In the drawings: A Y

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing` a preferred embodiment of my invention as adapted to a conventional type of dental engine;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view oi the usual toot controller, showingl the applica tion of my improvement thereto;

Figure 3 is asectional view on line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view raken centrally oitl the liquid supply tank;

Figure 5 is a sectional View` on line 5-5 ot Figure 6;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view;

Figure 7 is a sectional view on line T-7 of Figure 4, andy n Figure 8 is a sectional view on line 8-8 of Figure 7.

The invention may be carried out in a variety of ways as an illustration of one practical embodiment, I have disclosed its application to a conventional type ot' dental engine including a hand piece 1, sappen-:ing bracket 2, electric motor 3, which drives the tool 4 through a cable 5, and4 a foot controller 6 for the motor 3.

To furnish a supply of liquid tov the tool,

I employ gravity controlled means including a tank 10 located above the hand piece and tube 11 leading therefrom tol a nozzle 12, constituting van outlet adjacent to the tool 4. Flow of liquid from the tank l() is permitted by a valve 13, which engages a seat 14 to out ofi the liquid supply, and is movable within a housing 15.

It is desirable to. open the valve 13 automatically when the toot controller' is operated to start the motor 8, and to close the valve when the motor 3 is stopped. To accomplish this,'I employ operating` means .including a movable actuator located En the path of the foot switch and movable therewith to effect opening of the valve. The valve 13, which is located at the bottom of the tank 10, has connected thereto `a valve rod 16 by a universal joint 17, the valve rod 16 extending' upwardly through the tank 10 to the top thereof and nuiviug in suitable stationary guides 18, while 19 is a spring located between one ot the guides 18 and a collar 20 fixed to the valve rod 16, and operating to hold the valve normally closed. l

The valve is opened through the n'iedium of a rock arm 21 which engages a collar 22 also fixed on the valve rod 16. 'lhe rock arm 21 is pivoted at 23 and ha-s formed integral therewith a second .loeli arm 24, the

outer extremity of which moves in a. housing 25, where it is engaged by the actuator. rlhe actuator includes a rod 81 at one end and a rod 32 at the opposite end connected by a flexible spring controlled member that is movable within and guided by i flexible tube 33 in accordance with the conventional fieXible push-and-pull construction.

The rod 32 is mounted in the path of the foot' switch 34 of the controller, so that as the switch is operated to start motor 3, rod 32 is pushed, causing a corresponding movement of rod 31 and a corresponding rocking of the arms 24 and 21. The parts remain in this position and hold the valve 13 openvas long as the switch 34 is held in circuit closing position, and when the switch 34 is released, returning to the position shown in Figure 1, the actuator for the valve is likewise released and returns to its normal position, while spring 19 closes the valve.

Rod 32 of the actuator is held in proper position on the foot controller in a clamp 41 which is adjustable vertically on the arm 42 by means of a set screw 43, cooperating with a slot 44. The arm 42 is part of a bracket 45 which includes a second arm 46 and screws 47 engaging under the shoulder of the conventional foot controller, while 48 are screws on the top of the bracket at opposite sides of an enlarged portion 49 and which serve to engage the top of the controller and hold the bracket in horizontal position thereon. The arm 46 is adjust able with reference to the body of the bracket by means of an adjusting screw 51 passing through a lug 52 carried by the arm 46 and having threaded engagement with a lug 53 stationarily mounted on the bracket 45, while 54 is a guide pin engaging the slot 55 in the arm 46.

The gravity tank 10 may be mounted upon the wall or at any other suitable point above the hand piece in order to aiord a gravity feed and one convenient assembly embodies mounting the tank 10 upon rthe bracket 2 by means of arms 61 and 62, the latter being preferably longer in order to lower the outlet end of the tank 10. 63 is a filling opening for ythe tank, it being understood that the bracket 2 and the tank 10 can be swung to vertical position to permit filling the tank. The nozzle 12 may be attached to the hand piece in any convenient way, and I have disclosed a simple and exceedingly practical arrangement including clips 65 formed on a holder 66 carried by the nozzle and adapted to have detachable engagement with the hand ieee 1.

lVhile I have described the invention with reference to a particular embodiment, it is not confined to the details herein disclosed, and this application is intended to cover such changes or departures as may come within the intent of my improvements or scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a dental engine including a hand piece, an electric motor, a switch for the motor, of gravity controlled liquid supply means for the hand piece, and devices governing the liquid supply including a valve, and valve operating means located in the path of said switch and movable when the switch is actuated, the valve operating means being connected to the valve and acting to open the valve when the switch is moved.

2. The combination with a dental engine including a hand piece, an electric motor, a foot switch for the motor, of gravity controlled liquid. supply means for the hand piece, and devices governing the liquid supply including a valve, and valve operating means located in tli-e path of said switch and being mov-ed thereby when the switch is actuated, said valve operating means be ing connected to the valve and acting to open the valve when the switch is moved.

8. The combination with a dental engine including a hand piece and an electric motor, of liquid supply means for the hand piece, 'devices for supply including a valve, a Jfoot switch for the motor, and a reciprocatory actuator located in the path of said foot switch and operatively connected with the valve, the actuator when moved by the foot switch operating to move and open the valve.

4. The combination with a dental engine including an electric motor and hand piece, a foot switch for the motor, gravity controlled liquid supply means for the hand iece, a valve governing the liquid supply, and a reciprocatory actuator for the valve located in the path of said switch, the actuator being operatively connected to the valve and serving to move the latter in accord with the movement of the switch.

5. The combination with a dental engine including an electric motor and foot switch, of a hand piece and gravity controlled liquid supply means for the hand piece, a valve governing the liquid supply, and a reciprocatory flexible actuator located in the path of the switch and operable thereby, said actuator having its opposite end operatively connected to the valve so as to move the latter in accord with movement of the switch.

6. The combination with adeiital engine including an electric motor and toot switch, of a hand piece and liquid supply means for the hand piece, a valve governing the liquid supply, of movable operating means located in the path of the switch and extending from such point to the valve, said movable operating means being connected with the governing the liquid 2 imv W the top thereof, and movable operating means located in the path of the switch and extending from such point to the valve rod, the movable operating means being connected to the valve rod so as to move the latter in accord With movements of the 15 switch.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

FREDERIC J. HOFSCHN EIDER. 

